Josephite Ministries
In the Beginning was the Mission and the Mission was with God
And the Mission was God, God who is Love.
The Mission does not belong to any Group or Church or Religion.
We share in this Mission of God through our various ministries. Mary MacKillop always challenged her sisters to give preference to the most neglected people. In our early years this area of neglect was education and care of orphans and young women on the streets. Today we continue to stand by the most neglected, in particular our first peoples, rural families, refugees and those seeking spiritual help.
Justice and Spirituality sections provide more detail and the following are some current areas of Josephite ministry.
Rural Ministry
A strong commitment to rural families and rural communities has always been at the heart of the mission for Sisters of St Joseph. Many of our Sisters live in rural regions, either singly or in small groups. Sisters support the local Church in the region where they live and “walk with” the people in the joys and struggles of their lives. The range of services offered by our Sisters includes facilitation and presentation of various programs visiting families, hospitals and nursing homes; parish administration; parish pastoral work; pastoral support in schools and adult education.
In NSW an incorporated ministry MacKillop Rural Ministries has been set up which provides among other services, preschool family activities in several country towns and particularly provides training and support for the Aboriginal communities.
Education
Many sisters draw on their educational background in a variety of ministries. Some are classroom teachers in Catholic schools; some have leadership roles in the schools or Education Office; some provide a liaison role with families or provide pastoral care for staff and students. Some sisters are involved at tertiary institutions such as theology colleges and universities. Other sisters are involved in religious education in parish or government school settings. Many sisters provide informal/formal learning in the areas of literacy for refugees or other groups who have no English
Aboriginal Ministry
Mary MacKillop’s Jesuit brother, Donald, worked at the Daly River Aboriginal mission and Mary had wanted to send Sisters to this area. The General Chapter approved it but by the beginning of the 20th century the Mission had been destroyed by flood and no sisters were sent. Many sisters especially in rural areas work with Aboriginal communities. The Sisters went to the Kimberley in 1964 and have worked there in various communities. In several places Federation and Central Josephites have lived and worked together.
As well as working in the Kimberley sisters have supported various aboriginal agencies throughout Australia and have also continued to work with various Aboriginal communities in rural Australia.
To find out more click here.
Care for People in Distress
A range of ministries offer professional and personal support for those most in need. Some sisters have completed their law degrees or obtained certification so that they can work with refugees, asylum seekers or others needing legal aid. Others have learnt the language of the deaf so they can minister to this community. Some provide a range of ongoing support, including accommodation, for people with disabilities or mental illness or the homeless. In all these situations each person is treated with great dignity. Many provide professional and pastoral care to the aged both in their homes and in aged care facilities.
The ministry reflections below are just a few of the many stories the sisters share about their ministry.
